Page 103 of Fall into Place

Tess pressed her lips together—she wasn’t playing any fucking game that Felix Hawthorn was running.

“You don’t want to play? Then let’s make it interesting. For every question you get wrong, I’ll break one of Callum’s fingers.”

He nodded to one of his goons, who yanked Tess away from Callum—two more grabbed Callum’s arms as he lurched forward to try to protect Tess.

“Come on, Tess,” Felix goaded. “I know you know the answer. Who killed Konstantin?”

“Callum did.” Tess gritted her teeth. “But only because you manipulated him into it.”

“Wrong.” Felix grinned.

“What?! But, Callum, you said—” Tess turned to Callum. He looked as utterly confused as Tess felt. But Callum’s expression changed to agony as one of Felix’s goons snapped back Callum’s thumb with a sickening crunch—he yelled with pain.

“No!” Tess shouted. She whirled around on Felix. “Why are you doing this?”

“Next question,” Felix hissed. “And I’m sure you know this one. Who killed Isobel?”

Tess closed her eyes. “I won’t answer.”

“Would you rather I break your fingers instead?” Felix stepped toward Tess.

“If you like,” Tess said defiantly.

“No,” Callum interjected. “Tess, I heal quickly. It’s fine. Just answer.”

“I can see why you hate Felix so much,” Tess said to Callum. “He’s not even strong enough to do his own petty torture.”

“Are you going to answer the question or not?!” Felix shouted.

“I don’t know, okay?” Tess fumed. “Blood Feud says it was Callum, but he says—”

“The book says exactly what I wanted the world to believe.” Felix’s grin was ice-cold. “But alas, I’m the one who killed sweet Isobel.”

Tess gasped. “But—”

“Don’t tell me you got snowed by a couple of novels, Tess—they’re nothing more than fiction. And I’m afraid that means you’re wrong again.”

Felix walked up to Callum, and Tess’s stomach roiled. She felt the most awful fear for her lover, the most terrible guilt for every time she’d doubted him about how much of a monster Felix really was.

“Callum, we should be breaking another of your fingers now—”

“Go ahead.” Callum spat right in Felix’s face—which didn’t seem particularly wise, but Tess couldn’t help internally cheering.

“You think you’re so much better than I am.” Felix wiped his face with a velvet glove. “But you’re not good for anything but taking orders—first from Konstantin, now from Nantale. So I have an order for you, Callum. I want you to put on this red diamond ring you’ve been so keen to steal.”

“Or what?” Callum narrowed his eyes.

“You can always refuse me.” Felix smiled. “But if you do, I’ll chop off both of Tess’s hands.”

“You’re not gonna touch her,” Callum growled.

“Callum, it’s okay,” Tess whispered. “Whatever he wants with that ring, please don’t do it.”

“He’ll just make me wear it anyway,” Callum said. “I won’t let him hurt you.”

Callum held out his hand, and Felix grinned. “Excellent choice.”

Then he slipped the ring onto Callum’s pinkie, and the entire room flooded with icy blue light.